Tuesday's Letters: Ducking council tax change shows true colours

Making cuts to public services and freezing pay while failing

to garner the extra revenue that would come from a re-valuation of council tax tells me what the Conservative-Liberal government is really about. Not sharing the pain but protecting the better-off at the expense of the poor.

Now Ed Miliband is in charge of the Labour Party, I'll be looking for him to put his money where his mouth is by calling for a re-valuation. I'm not holding my breath because Labour failed to do this over 13 years in office.

I know that the Green Party would introduce a land and property tax, something that would really unlock the immense wealth tied up in private hands. That way we would know that those who can comfortably bear it would make a proper contribution to sorting out the national debt.

From; Quentin Deakin, Newark Road, Crossflatts, Bingley

From: Tom Johnson, Harrogate Road, Leeds.

IT did not take long, did it? Less than 48 hours after Doncaster North MP Ed Miliband became Labour leader and senior union official Len McCluskey was urging him not to "forget in five minutes" what he has heard from workers during the past five months of campaigning.

The unions just don't get it, do they? As Mr Miliband said, strikes should be a last resort, not a first course of action. I only hope that he sticks to his guns.

Millions fear for their futures

From: Peter Asquith-Cowen, First Lane, Anlaby, Hull.

I REFER to David Wright's letter (Yorkshire Post, September 22).

I think it is ill-judged to compare trades unions with the Luddites.

Many people today fear for the future – for their homes, incomes, financial security and pensions. The banking system seems to have been the root cause of the financial meltdown, with greedy bankers taking huge bonuses while engaged in unregulated risks, knowing if it all went wrong the taxpayer would foot the bill.

This malpractice has led to a host of nasties, including loss of income, home repossessions, increased debts, privatisation and now the threat to jobs nationwide.

Here, in Hull, the failed housing maintenance company Connaught is the latest in this list of threats to jobs and livelihoods. There are 102 jobs at risk and redundant staff have expressed their anger at "appalling" treatment by management.

Mark Stuart (Yorkshire Post, September 12), expressed his concern at the "antics" of confrontational trades union leaders. In the absence of any real, effective political party to listen to the needs, fears and grievances of ordinary workers, what does he expect? That workers are just going to accept shoddy dismissal without a fight?

Mr Wright calls on us all, in these troubled times, "to pull together". Laudable, however, have the bankers taken this advice? Contemptuously, they sneer at the nation and still accept obscene bonuses. If workers are treated this way, is there any wonder their union leaders express a "confrontational" attitude to employers and management?

This is why at the 42nd annual TUC Conference, delegates and leaders, led by Bob Crow (RMT Union) walked out in disgust when Bank of England Governor Mervyn King came to address them. If employers and management – with Government connivance – treat workers in this deplorable way, then yes, there will be confrontation, demonstration and the inevitable strikes and a possible Winter of Discontent.

We learn nothing. The confrontation between capitalism and the needs of the ordinary people is set to continue until fairness and justice prevail. Not sleazy, back-door privatisation, exploitation and the eradication of everything people fought for during the war.

Parking costs are too high

From: Jeremy Stokes, Crigglestone, Wakefield.

I AM a regular visitor to Leeds with my work and regularly use the parking facilities in the centre operated by both Leeds City Council and NCP.

Parking charges in central Leeds are now outrageous, especially when our Government is saying "we are all in this together".

Why did it cost me in the NCP Market car park 9.90 for two hours 23 minutes? I work in the private sector and I haven't had a salary increase now in three years, my final salary pension from my previous employer ceased in 2005, I have already made big personal sacrifices yet I visit Leeds city centre only to be asked for more. Why?

I now realise why the market car park was half empty and why traders in Leeds are also suffering.

I will shop in future at Meadowhall or White Rose where I don't have to rush back to my car because parking is free. Come on Leeds citizens: make your council sit up and encourage shoppers back to what was once a magnificent city.

From: S Walker, Whitwood Lane, Whitwood, Castleford.

I HAVE parked at the Pudsey Civic car park situated on Cote Lane since May 2010. I have always paid 3 per day for parking on these premises, Monday to Thursday, which was collected by a young man who issued a ticket for the 3.

However, on Fridays, the entrance to the car park was never manned and it was common knowledge that no payment was required for this day's parking.

On Friday, September 17, no visible signage had been attached to the newly installed parking meters indicating that they were now in operation, numerous other vehicle owners were also unaware as they, too, were issued with a parking fine on this day.

I have sent the 25 penalty charge as I am not in the habit of breaking the law but I would like to say how disgusted I am with Leeds City Council at the way and the timing that the meters have been introduced and become active.

On this day the Civic Centre was not open so I and other vehicle owners could not discuss the issue with Civic Centre personnel. Vehicle owners who use this car park on a regular basis would not have expected to pay on this day and therefore would have continued to lock and walk away from their vehicle, not seeing any visible signage on the meter that has been positioned directly at the entrance of the car park to indicate they were now in operation.

How convenient for Leeds City Council that the meters became active on a Friday when the car park has not normally been manned and the amount of fines issued would have been numerous.

At this present economic time, the Government is in the process of trying to save money but I do not expect them to acquire money by using methods such as these. I am totally disgusted and ashamed that they have to resort to these tactics.

Baking ban under fire

From: Catherine Watson, Norman Road, Hatfield, Doncaster.

WITH reference to the article "Baking ban hits women's group" (Yorkshire Post, September 23), I do hope that the good retired ladies of the Adlington and District Millennium Committee, near Chorley, Lancashire, have taken their local council to task about them banning home-made cakes for their coffee afternoon.

What's more, the council told the ladies that only shop- bought cakes and biscuits could be taken – how outrageous.

How petty minded can a council be? Charities, churches and countless local organisations rely on cake stalls at their many fundraising events.

Home-made cake stalls have been run for years and are welcomed everywhere and I have yet to hear of anyone having even a sniffle from eating a home-made cake, let alone a close to death experience.

I note that this happened in Lancashire – I couldn't see any of the good ladies I know in Yorkshire who bake allowing this to happen.

Jobsworths versus sensible rules of the road

From: Mike Smith, Huddersfield.

I WOULD imagine most drivers blessed with any common sense will sympathise with the retired gentleman caught doing 60mph down the M606 out of Bradford (Yorkshire Post, September 21).

He was a stranger to the area and probably concentrating on the road conditions instead of keeping his eyes glued to his speedo.

I know the road well and, at peak periods, even 40mph or 30mph could be dangerous when approaching the exit points; but it would be legal. At most other times, 60mph, 70mph or even 80mph would be perfectly safe for drivers fit to be on the road.

But "rules is rules" and the gentleman had the option of paying a stiff penalty charge or having to trail all the way back up from the Midlands to attend a naughty drivers' school. That carries a whiff of extortion.

As far as is known, no accident was involved and one might have expected a bit of common sense and discretion for a mere 10mph over the limit.

By contrast, a vehicle drove down the A629 into Huddersfield at well over the speed limit, crossing through bollards on to the wrong side of the road twice within my vision.

Some 30 or 40 other drivers quickly assessed the situation and drove on to pavements or into the nearest space. Half the laws in the book were broken within 30 seconds and had there been a camera, the jobsworths would have had a field day. Happily, there were no accidents due to the common sense and swift judgment of all the drivers.

The point is if the jobsworths imposing and enforcing speed limits had a fraction of the common sense and judgment displayed by those drivers, the roads would be no less safe and the nation a happier place.

By the way, the offending vehicle was an emergency ambulance but where does that leave your "rules is rules"?